THE SITUATION
The U.S. Armed Force is constantly looking for new ways to train their operatives in the detection of enemy vehicles and aircraft. One technique that they use is Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), to detect such assets, since it can be used from various angles and event with cloud cover.
FACING UP TO THE CHALLENGE
One of the biggest challenges of training U.S. servicemen to detect these assets, is because we don’t typically have foreign assets to train with, such as BMP tanks, Pantsirs, and other Russian and Chinese vehicles and aircraft.
One of the other challenges of creating realistic decoys and targets to train with, is that they are often too large, cumbersome, heavy, difficult to transport and store, and are very expensive. Although decoys can be constructed using truck chassis or Humvees which are plentiful, they are typically not very realistic looking and cost a lot to build.
THE SOLUTION
While searching for solutions, i2k Military Inflatables has been the choice for the U.S. ARMY, Marines, Air Force as well as our friendly allies such as the UAE, Japan and Israel. I2K Military Inflatables supplies the most realistic, lightweight, easy to transport, cost-effective inflatable decoys & targets, that encompass a thermal signature, as well as IR and SAR enabled to look “real” from the air.
Lockheed Martin
Security concerns across the global landscape reinforce the need for continuous awareness of one’s environment. A capability that can provide intelligence imagery anytime, in any type of weather, is critical to enhancing situational awareness and gaining a tactical edge. That capability is Synthetic Aperture Radar, or SAR.
Unlike electro-optical imaging systems, SAR is an active system with its own microwave illuminator. Its microwave operating frequencies are chosen so that the radar imaging is unaffected by weather or light. As such, SAR is the only imaging system that can generate high resolution imagery, anytime – even in inclement weather or darkness.
Lockheed Martin developed the first operational SAR system in the early 1950s. This discovery forged a new era in aerial reconnaissance. SAR has revolutionized reconnaissance by peering through clouds and darkness to create photo-quality images. Subsequent demands for increased resolution and smaller-sized components led to quantum leaps in the development of new technologies.
Lockheed martin has since adapted SAR to meet the requirements for a multitude of military, government and civilian mission needs. Demands for increased resolution and smaller components have led to quantum leaps in the development of new SAR technologies, including foliage penetration, dual band (UHF/VHF) sensors, and ground moving target indication capabilities.
SAR images are so amazingly clear and crisp that SAR has been for a diverse range of military and science applications. This includes earth resources monitoring, agricultural and land use, ocean spill monitoring, polar ice assessment, intelligence acquisition, battlefield reconnaissance and weapon delivery.
Today, Lockheed Martin continues its pursuit toward the development of next generation radar technologies.
Source: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/synthetic-aperture-radar.html